


Down on our own Shield

by FiKate



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Backstory, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Escape, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-12 02:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11727714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiKate/pseuds/FiKate
Summary: As a boy, Cassian learned to save himself and not rely on rescues. When he started working for Draven who prefers lone operatives, this reinforced the message that its up to him to save himself. Scenes of escape and rescues in his life. Implied Jyn/Cassian near the end but focused on backstory.Title from Jakob Dylan'sDown on our shield.





	Down on our own Shield

“You have to learn how to get out of them on your own, Cassian. We might not always be there in time,” Paolo’s voice was deliberate as he knelt down in front of Cassian and clicked the cuffs on. 

They barely fit over Cassian’s thin wrists and he felt the weight of them as Paolo put the lockpick on the cuffs. To get to the pick, he had to use his mouth to try and wiggle until he heard the click and he knew that it took longer than it should. He slipped into Festian as he finally got them off, “ _Can I practice with them?_ ”

Paolo seemed sad when Cassian spoke, there weren’t many Festians with them, not after Papa had left and died but answered in Festian, “ _Yes, we’ll get you your own picks too._ ”

“ _I’ll get better. I won’t hold you back_ ,” He wanted to help, that was what Papa wanted him to do. That meant he had to learn how to save himself because Papa had died too far away and too quickly, no one could have saved him.

*********

He listened for the whirring that meant he had the door open as Ada tied the bandage tighter around her arm. They’d destroyed the communications but then a patrol had found them, he had to get them out before they called in help, “Got it.”

Something had gone wrong with the explosive and he wasn’t going to think about Paolo’s face, now he was the only Festian left and he had to save everyone. That’s what Papa and Paolo would want him to do, every life was a weapon against the Empire. Ada stood up, her skin pale enough to match her white fur as her ears twitched, “Good job.” 

Carefully they crept out and stopped when they heard boots near the center office and voices, “There’s not enough here to be worth it, sir.” 

Ada looked for a weapon and Cassian spotted the locker that their weapons had been put into and started working on the lock. While he was focused, he heard footsteps again and didn’t know where to go as Ada picked up a chair. 

A blaster came around the corner and someone called out, “All clear except for the prisoners.” 

Then a man in some kind of almost uniform came around, Cassian bit down on the lockpick in his mouth to keep from saying something wrong, as the man spoke, “We’re not with the Empire. My name is Davits Draven and we can help you escape.” 

“Why?” Cassian could hear Ada’s claws ticking on the chair leg, she always did that when she was nervous. 

“The sabotage was well put together except for the misjudging of the explosives. Come with us and we’ll all get out of here safe and discuss how we can help each other.” 

“Yes,” Ada said and Cassian heard the lock click and opened the cabinet which was when Draven really looked at him as he said, “We’re bringing our weapons.” 

“Yes, good idea,” Draven nodded and Cassian returned it, trying to look how his father used to, as if he was the equal to anyone.

**********

Breaking in wasn’t that much harder than breaking out and Mast had shown him where to hide on the transports to the upper levels. Draven had told him to get what he could, don’t take too many risks but he was young enough and small enough that no one looked too closely at him on Coruscant. If he did this then he’d be allowed to help with bigger missions, which meant proving he didn’t need anyone’s help. The locks to the patrol station’s back door clicked and he slipped in, tossing an old droid popper to briefly shut down the surveillance. Inside he went to the main database and started running through the slicing program.

Everything had a way it had to be done; firing a blaster, flying a ship, picking a lock, there was always a way in and out. Once he had the right records, he started copying as quickly as he could, Mast had helped set up a special at the cantina for the patrol. That should keep them occupied but ‘troopers cared about rules and someone would come back. 

A door opened and Cassian unhooked his pad and started making his way to the back entrance which he’d already unlocked. As he went through he heard a yell and felt the sizzle of a blaster and a pain near his knee. He kept going, into the alley, up and over as his leg protested as he got onto a roof. Each step hurt but he heard yells and pressed a button to make the droid popper explode, that should slow them down. An old transport rumbled by and he pulled himself on it and was able to ride it out of the neighborhood, it also gave him time to tie a rag around his leg. 

By the time he slipped into the abandoned apartment, he wanted to cry with the pain but he’d done the job. He found the bacta and put it on his leg, leaning against the wall before sending a coded message that would get to Draven. Mast came in and Cassian could hear the shush of his head tentacles, “Jeron, what happened?” 

“I’m fine, bacta’s on it and I got what I needed,” He did his best to sound reassuring. After all he’d completed the mission which would make everything safer for a lot of other rebels. Lilah would worry that he was hurt but no one had to save him.

********

_Scream if you have to but never talk._

Draven's words ran through his mind as the power arced through his body and he bit back a scream. If he thought on the mission, not the pain, he would survive. Either Kay would find a way to get to him or he'd be executed. The 'trooper who had caught him after he made the one shot had roughed him up and with the swelling and blood, he couldn't be easily identified. From the questions, they thought he was working on his own and the officer liked his pain. If he had to speak, he'd used Festian, no one knew it and it gave a small release to curse them. What mattered was that he'd killed the slaver who had been going to Kashyyyk.

"Enough, I'm going to write my report and will dispose of him when I've less to do," The lieutenant said and left, he heard the snick of the cell shutting and shuddered against the restraints. He couldn't seem to stop the shuddering, the light was too bright and the power or the cold had gotten into him.

When the door opened, he couldn't manage to lift his head as he heard Kay saying, "I am moving the prisoner, those are my orders."

He wanted to whisper to Kay to keep it simple as he felt 'troopers' gloves unclasp him and put cuffs on. When Kay held the cuffs and somehow managed to hold him up and in front of him, he thanked the Force, "If he is dead, you will be in trouble."

The 'troopers mumbled and he focused on the reassuring clank of Kay's joints as he walked and leaned slightly to rest and to give Kay directions to get out quicker. At the ship, Kay uncuffed him and sooner than he expected, there was the whirr of the hyperdrive. He looked at Kay and managed a nod, "I'll be fine, a little cold."

"You are lying badly and will go to the Infirmary, I will report on the mission," Kay said and Cassian smiled as he leaned back on the seat.

On the base, he was better able to walk but still kept shuddering and could taste blood from where the 'trooper had hit him. At the Infirmary, there wasn't much to do and when the medic asked him to lie down, he shook his head which hurt, "I'll rest better in my quarters."

"Captain Andor, you will come back here tomorrow morning or I will bring you back," He knew her name, but couldn't remember it, the look in her eyes was sad and intense and he tried to look better.

"I will. I'll rest better there," His voice worked for him, it was fairly true and he stood up and focused on walking. The quarters were tiny but his and in the distance, he thought he could almost hear Kay reporting. He hadn’t told the Imps anything and Kay had been there. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep with a memory of Draven telling him, “You’re good at getting yourself out, Andor. We can’t risk too much for any operative.”

*********

He had to get to Jyn and get the pilot out, he’d seen that lost look in the pilot’s eyes, he’d been tortured. As he started working on the lock, the monk’s words echoed in his mind, he carried his own prison? Of course he didn’t, he had his duty to the Rebellion, the Rebellion which brought hope of a better galaxy. No one enslaved him or abused him, he had Kay and together they did what needed to be done.

Jyn was on her knees in front of Saw and he pointed his blaster as Saw told her to go. He reached for Jyn and saw shock and surprise in her eyes. There was no time as the building shook but he finally got her up and they got out. He didn’t allow himself to feel safe until they went into hyperdrive as Jedha crumbled under them. Jyn and the pilot, Bodhi were safe and the monk and his partner, a few lives rescued, not enough but there was never a way to save everyone.

*********

When the X-Wings cut through the rain, Cassian wanted to yell. It was too soon, but this was Draven. The mission had to be completed and either you had your way out or you didn’t get out and the comms had been down just long enough. Rescues cost too many lives and while they were run by others, Draven didn’t encourage hope in them. You go in on your own and get out but now Cassian wasn’t on his own and Jyn wanted her father. He ran towards the platform, he had to find Jyn and get her out of here before everything fell apart.

*********

The sky was full of explosions and he leaned on Jyn, he couldn’t believe that the Fleet had come to Scarif. They were only one team, but they had all come. None of those ships could save them now, not as the Death Star filled the sky, but this was what hope felt like. Knowing that someone else cared what happened to you, he’d almost forgotten. 


End file.
